Punch set apparatus having punch mounted in vertically spaced generally horizontal plates



May 8, 1956 E. F. PAXHIA ETAL PUNCH SET APPARATUS HAVING PUNCH MOUNTED IN VERTICALLY SPACED GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PLATES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 4, 1954 INVEN TORS EMA A/UE'L EPAXH/A, RA YMOND d. METZGER anoL )EYN G. WH/ 7'5 ATTORNEYS.

May 8. 1956 E. F. PAXHIA ET AL 2,744,577

PUNCH SET APPARATUS HAVING PUNCH MOUNTED IN VERTICALLY SPACED GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PLATES Filed Jan. 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jig). 3

INVENTORS [MANUEL EPAXH/A, RA wwo/vo J. METZGER anoL w g {v 6. WHITE A TTORNEYS.

PUNCH SET APPARATUS HAVING PUNCH MOUNTED IN VERTICALLY SPACED GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PLATES Emanuel F. Paxhia, Tonawanda, Raymond J. Metzger,

Cheektowaga, and Lynn G. White, Kenmore, N. Y., as-

signors, by mesne assignments, to Toolset, Incorporated,

Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application January 4, 1954, Serial No. 401,961 9 Claims. or. 164-94 This invention relatesto punching apparatus for perforating metal sheets or for performing analogous punching operations on sheet metal or like materia1.

Where a number of perforations or similar formations are to be made in a sheet of metal or like material by means of a conventional punch press the punching apparatus generally comprises a die assembly and a punch assembly, the 'die assembly being fixed to the bed of the punch press and the punch assembly being secured to a reciprocating ram of the punch press for movement toward and away from the die assembly to perform perforating or other punching operations.

Means are generally provided for guiding the punch assemblywithrespect to the die assembly, generally in the form of guide pins orthe like. In positioning die sets ofvthis' general nature it is necessary to secure the die portion of the assemblyto the bed or bolster plate of the punch press and also to secure the punch assembly to thereciprocating ram member of the punch press. These companion assemblies must .ofzcourse. besecured to the bed of the press and the-ram of the'pressin proper'vertical alignment to secure accurate punching relationship therebetween and to avoid binding of the guide pins in performing their guiding function. This aligning and securing procedure is delicate and time consuming and errors,

occurring in setting up may result in costly damage to the die, the punch press or both.

Morerecently ithas been common practice to employ unitary punching devices which include both the punching and the die members in. a single structural frame securable to thebed of a punch press, the punching member being merely engagedor impinged againstbythe ram of the punch press in effecting punching operations. This eliminates the necessity for accurately assembling members against both the bed of the press and the movable ram of the press in proper punching alignment'but, the

generalpractice in using devices of this .type has been to arrange a number of perforating units upon the bed of the press in the desiredrelationship with respect to each other, either by the useof templets or by individually; laying out and setting up the units toproduce the desired pattern of perforation or other punching formations.

The present invention provides an apparatus wherein a die assembly and a superposed punching assembly are arranged to be guided. vertically relative to eachother but wherein the-vertically movable punching assembly-rests.

directly UPQn the die assembly and is supported entirely thereby without the necessity for any securement to the verticallymoving ram of the punch presswith which the which may be used in various supporting die sets of the type contemplated by the present invention and may also be used in individual unit perforators of the kind described generally above.

Many other objects and advantages resulting from the use of the punching apparatus of the present invention, from the standpoint of facility of manufacture and convenience and economy of use, will appear to those skilled in the present art from a consideration of the punching apparatus which is shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in the following specification. It is to be understood, however, that such apparatus is set I forth herein by way of example only and that many modifications therein may be effected, particularly from the standpoint of the arrangement of desired perforations and the type and size of sheets to be perforated or otherwise punched thereby. Nothing in the following specificationis to be deemed as limiting the present invention to the form set forth herein by way of example and the scope'of the present invention is limited only as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a general top plan view of one form of the punch and die apparatus of the present invention;

. Fig. 2 is an irregular cross-sectional view on the line I 11-11 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line Ill-4H of Fig. 1. 7

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like characters of reference denote like parts and, speaking generally and referring particularly to Fig. 2, a relatively stationary horizontal die plate is designated 10 and is adapted to be positioned upon the bed or bolster plate of a punch press. The principal structure of the punch holding portion of the apparatus comprises an upper plate 11 and a lower plate 12 which are fixed to each other in vertically spaced relationship as by means of variously disposed spacer blocks 13, 14 and 15, all of which are screwed respectively to the upper and lower plates 11 and 12 as indicated by way of example at the left-hand side of Fig. 2 in conjunction with spacer block 13.

apparatus is associated. Thus, theapparatus'of the present invention provides means whereby .thepunch and,

die units are freely movable relative to each other and are readily separable as in the case: of old prior .art die sets, while at the same time eliminating the necessity for securing. the punching portion of the a vertically movable ram of the punch press.

Furthermore, the apparatus of the present. invention Pr m .i s iris a in ease??? Push an s t; Pie.

pparatus .to the:

' is shown in cross sectional detail in Fig. 3.

shown, a guide pin bushing 19 is press fitted into plates The assembly comprising plates 11 and 12 is guided for vertical reciprocation relative to die plate 10 by means of a pair of vertical guide pins 17 and 18, one of which As there- 11 and 12 to receive guide pin 17 for vertical reciprocation. A similar bushing 20 is providedfor receiving guide pin 18.

Die plate 10 is supported in upwardly spaced relation relative to the bed or bolster plate of a punch press, in the present instance by means of a pair of rails or blocks 21 and 22 which are parallel to each other and extend fore and aft of the apparatus with respect to the position which it normally occupies in a punch press. The die plate is supportedon blocks 21 and 22 to provide a clear scrap clearance and disposal space beneath the die plate 10. In the form shown herein by way of example the guide pin bushings 19 and 20are pressed jointly into die plate 10 and the underlying supporting rails or blocks'21 and 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Y

I The punch holding assembly is normally held resilient- .ly in upwardly spaced relation relative to die plate 10 by means of lifter springs 24 and 25, one of which is themselves, the die portions of which are supported in die plate 10 and the punching and stripping portions of which are jointly supported in the punch plate members- Patented May 8, 1956 11 and 12.v In the present instance a. plurality of punch and die assemblies are provided which are designated generally by the numerals 30 through 36 in Fig. 1. While these'punch and die assemblies are for perforating holes of varying diameters, the details of their construction are uniform excepting for such size'difierences and a description in detail of the punch and die assembly designated generally by the numeral 34 will sufiicefor all. The details of punch and die assembly 34- are shown in crosssectional detail in Fig. 2.

A hardened steel die bushing 38 is set into a recess in the upper surface of die: plate 10 and the latter is provided with the usual scrap clearance hol'e extending from the bottom of die insert 38 t0 the bottom of die plate 10. The punch assembly includes a punch member proper designated 40- provided with a generally cylindrical head member 41 which in the present instance is screwed to the upper end of punch element 40 as at 42. Head member 41 has vertical sliding bearing in upper plate member 11 of the punch holding assembly.

Punch element 40 is surrounded adjacent its lower portions by a stripper sleeve member 44 which is of general cylindrical form and provided with an enlarged upper portion which seats against a companion shoulder pro vided in the bore in punch plate 12 which is adapted to receive the stripper bushing 44. Head member 41 is provided either with a flattened side portion or with an intermediate portion of reduced diameter, as at 46 in Fig. 2, and a retaining plate member 47 is screwed to the top of punch plate element 11 as at 43.

The edge of retaining plate member 47 engages the reduced diameter portion of head member 41 and limits upward movement ofthe latter. A stripper spring 49 surrounds the intermediate portion of punch element 40, bearing at its lower end against the upper end of stripper sleeve 44 and at its upper end against the bottom of head element 41, to urge the latter into an upper limit position as determined by retaining plate 47.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the numeral 50 designates a plurality of gage pins for locating a worksheet 51. However, it is to be understood that the shape and size of the worksheet and the number, size and location of the perforations to be made therein will vary widely.

What is claimed is:

1. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprising a die plate member securable to said bed and a punch holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates, vertical guide pins fixed to one of saidmembers and slidably engageable with the other, compression spring means acting between said members to normally retain the punch holding member in an elevated position, a plurality of punching units each comprising a stripper sleeve carried by the lower plate of the punch holding member, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upper head portion vertically slidable in the upper plate of the punch holding member and projecting thereabove to be engaged by said reciprocable ram, and a compression coil spring surrounding the punch and engaging at its upper end against said punch head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve.

2. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprising adie plate member securable to'said bed and a punch holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates, means guiding said members for movement toward and away from each other, compression spring means acting between said members to normally retain the punch holding member in an elevated position, a plurality of punching'un'its each comprising a stripper sleeve carried by the lower plate of the punch holding member, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upperhcad portion vertically slidable in the upper plate of the punch holding member and projecting thereabove to be engaged by said reciprocable ram, and a compression coil spring surrounding the punch and engaging at its upper end against said punch head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve.

3. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprising a die plate member securable to said bed and a punch holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates, vertical guide pins fixed to one of said members and slidably engageable with the other, yieldable means normally retaining the punch holding member in an elevated position, a plurality of punching units each comprising a stripper sleeve carried by the lower plate of the punch holding member, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upper head portion vertically slidable in the upper plate of the punch holding member and projecting thereabove to be engaged by said reciprocable ram, and a compression coil spring surrounding the punch and engaging.

at its upper end against said punch head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve.

4. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprising a die plate member securable to said bed and a punch holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates, means guiding said members for movement toward and away from each other, yieldable means normally retaining the punch holding member in an elevated position, a plurality of punching.

units each comprising a stripper sleeve carried by the lower plate of the punch holding member, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upper head portion vertically slidable in the upper plate of the punch holding member and projecting thereabove to be engaged by said reeiprocable ram, and a compression coil spring surrounding the punch and engaging at its upper end against said punch head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve.

5. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprising a die plate member securable to said bed and a punch holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates, vertical guide pins fixed to one of said members and slidably engageable with the other, compression spring means acting between said members to normally retain the punch holding member in an elevated position, a plurality of punching units each comprising a stripper sleeve carried by the lower plate of the punch holding member, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upper head portion vertically slidable in the upper plate of the punch holding member and projecting thereabove to be engaged by said reciprocable ram, a compression coil spring surrounding the punch and engaging at its upper end against said punch head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve, and releasable means at the upper side of the upper plate of the punch holding member engageable with the head portion of said punch to limit upward movement thereof.

6. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprisinga die plate member securablc to said bed and a punch holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates, means guiding said members for movement toward and away from each other, yieldable means normally retaining the" punch holding member in an elevated position, a plurality of punching units each comprising a. stripper sleeve carried by the lower plate of the punch holding member, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upper head portion vertically slidable in the upperplate of the punch holding member and projecting thereabove to be engaged by said reciprocable ram, a compression coil spring surrounding the punch and engaging at its upper end against said punch'head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve, and releasable means at the upper side of the upper plate'of the punch holding member engageable with the head portion of said punch to limit upward movement thereof.

' 7. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprising a die plate member securable to said bed and a punch,

holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates secured to each other for ready detachability, vertical guide pins fixed to one of said members and slidably engageable'with the other, compression spring means acting between said members to normally retain the punch holding member, in an elevated position, a plurality of punching devices associated with said apparatus each comprising a stripper sleeve carriedby the lower plate of the punch holding member, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upper head portion vertically slidable in the upper plate of the punch holding member, and a compression coil spring surrounding the punchand engaging at its upper end against said punch head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve.

'8. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprising a die plate member securable to said bed and a punch holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates secured to each other for ready detachability, means guiding said members for movement toward and away from each other, compression spring means acting between said members to normally retain the punch holding member in an elevated position, a plurality of punching units each comprising a stripper sleeve carried by the lower plate of the punch holding member, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upper head portion vertically slidable in the upper plate of the punch holding member and projecting thereabove to be engaged by said reciprocable ram, and a compression coil spring surrounding the punch and engaging at its upper end against said punch head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve.

v9. Sheet material punching apparatus for use in a punch press having a die receiving bed and a ram reciprocable toward and away from said bed, said apparatus comprising a die plate member securable to said bed and a punch holding member comprising a pair of vertically spaced generally horizontal plates, vertical guide pins fixed to one of said members and slidably engageable with the other, compression spring means acting between said members to normally retain the punch holding member in an elevated position, a stripper sleeve carried by the lower plate of the punch holding member and extending therebelow to engageand hold a work sheet, a punch extending through said stripper sleeve and having an enlarged upper head portion vertically slidable in the upper left of the punch holding member, and a compression coil spring surrounding the punch and engaging at its upper end against said punch head portion and at its lower end against the stripper sleeve.-

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

